Towards Understanding of the Practice of Proclamation: The Core Element of Russian Baptist Worship, Timofey Cheprasov, 2015

e believers ‘the power from on high,’ which is required for the life of the disciples, enabling them to be Christ-like. Any obvious sinful acts, like lack of love or compassion, cruelty or desire to be praised — are clear indications of the person not living with the Holy Spirit. (“” Kakom Ti Otnoshenii k Dukhu Sviatomu” [“What is Your Relationship to the Holy Spirit”], Sobraniie Sochinenii [The Collection of Works] (St. Petersburg, Biblia Dlya Vsekh, 1997) p 124.) Kargel insists that being filled by the Holy Spirit is a necessary requirement for believers, since it produces a desire to serve others, sharing with them everything that was given by God (V Kakom Ti Otnoshenii, p 133). 9 In the previous chapter | have already touched upon the subject of women in preaching ministry. Although historically in Russian Baptist churches and in churches of Evangelical Christians, the pulpit was open to women (which is clearly stated in the BV in several instances, e.g. Vol. 3, 1945 (pp 48-49); Vol. 1, 1948 (p 7)), the majority of contemporary Baptist churches have drastically changed their attitude to women in preaching and in pastoral ministry — this is considered sinful and unbiblical. Although it is difficult to trace the roots of such changes (which might be a good subject for another piece of research), through the surveys collected from various churches | noticed that the majority of the older generation of preachers and pastors (none of whom received any theological training) responded positively to a question whether women should be preaching in Baptist churches (nevertheless, it has to be noted that female preachers has never been common in Russian baptistic communities). Most of the categorically negative responses were received from pastors and preachers less than 40 years of age, mostly with at least a Bachelor degree in theology. This raises a question on how the contents of the educational programmes that developed in the post-Soviet countries influenced the contemporary theological convictions and practices of the Baptist churches. However, this is a subject for another research. 118 is responsible for a final sermon). Leading a service is limited to announcing the next item on a programme, praying for the needs of the congregation and saying a final prayer. The discussion about participants and leaders of worship service must mention A. Popov’s point about the existence of ‘a special class of believers who had the title of “ministers” (sluzhiteli7’).’ These people are not pastors, and few of them are paid by a church, although pastors and deacons are a part of this group. The majority of s/uzhiteli are involved in various ministries of local churches, yet their main feature was their exemplary spiritual life and deep knowledge of the Bible. A. Popov notices, [T]hese ministers were considered as a Spiritual elite, consisting of a few chosen ones in the congregation. The status of s/uzhiteli had